TOP 10 Food

Icelands New Nordic Cuisine

The Icelandic Kitchen

from the past

A rough climate and a long winter season have been the reason for a meagre and simple kitchen in the past. Every kind of food has been eaten and herbs were almost non-existent . The basic food was fish. Cattle breeding was limited to sheep, cows and horses . For this reason, seabirds such as puffins or the meat from whales and seals were welcome food sources. Vegetable and grain harvests were virtually impossible due the rough climate conditions. Flour was substituted by crushed moss. Beets, cabbage, rhubarb, and berries were the main source for Vitamins. Icelandic Thymine (Blóðberg), chervil and caraway were the herbs of the past. Conservation of meat and other food was a very important matter in the past for surviving the long winter season. Smoking, salting, drying, inlaying and fermenting were the most common methods.

New Icelandic Cuisine

Fresh, Local & Smart

Since the 1950´s the food variety is similar to that in Europe. Due to this the cooking style has developed greatly. Vegetables now grow in geothermal heated glasshouses. Langoustine and different kinds of sea fish such as haddock or cod are now commonplace on the menu. Also mushrooms such as puffball, birch boletus or field mushrooms now grow in Iceland. Icelandic lamb is slaughtered at the age of 6 months and is a true delicacy. Some traditional meals have survived until the present day . As an example Hangikjöt (smoked lamb), Skyr (kind of yoghurt) and dried cod should be mentioned. The New Icelandic Kitchen is Fresh, Local and very Smart. We would like to show you this New Icelandic Cuisine on a roadtrip around Iceland. You will get recommendation in a very detailed programme from us.

New Nordic Cuisine

How does an Icelander dine nowadays ?

Slow Food? New Nordic Cuisine? The most important thing is, the meal has to be fresh, local and creative. Infamous meals like whale, rotten shark or snow grouse are not a must, but are certainly delicious. Best of all, Icelandic lamb and fresh sea fish are extremely delicious. Further specialities of the Icelandic kitchen are wild salmon, trout and fingerling, wild fowl like goose, antes and seabirds. Reindeer is also served in restaurants on special occasions. The traditional Christmas meal is snow grouse (Rjúpa) and Hangikjöt (smoked lamb). (Source: Wikipedia) As a snack for in between Hot-Dogs are very popular. Typical Icelandic desert and sweets include Kleinur (cruller), Pönnukökur (similar to Crêpe), Lummur (similar to pancake), Laufabrauð and Snúður. Most popular sweets are liquorice and chocolate. Icelandic people also love soft ice. The waiting lines in front of ice stores are endless, even if it is snowing. By the way, Icelanders love to grill, even when the weather is very bad.

TOP 10 Bistros, Cafés and Restaurants

We have chosen for you:

  1. MATUR OG DRYKKUR – Fine and Crazy (f.e. Sheep´s head spring roll, rutabaga mash, roasted carrots, baby turnips and crispy sheepskin) – Grandagarður 2 – 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 571 8877 – info@maturogdrykkur.is – www.maturogdrykkur.is  – GPS: 64°09'09.8"N 21°57'05.4"W
     
  2. GRILLMARKAÐURINN – "a magical fusion of tradition and modern cuisine", they "highlight the origin of each product while using fire, smoke, fire logs and coal" – Lækjargata 2a – 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 5717777 – www.grillmarkadurinn.is – info@grillmarkadurinn.is – GPS: 64° 8.839’N, 21° 56.21
     
  3. DILL RESTAURANT – "We try to use what surrounds us and embrace our old traditions in our own way. We allow our ingredients to shine in their own simplicity without all accessories..." – Hverfisgata 12, 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 5521522 – www.dillrestaurant.is – dillrestaurant@dillrestaurant.is – GPS: 64°08'50.1"N 21°55'58.9"W
     
  4. ROK –  Amazing food in a great atmosphere (black Old Town House with a grass roof)  – Frakkastigur 26a – 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 544 4443 – https://www.rokrestaurant.is/ – GPS: 64°08'35.1"N 21°55'38.0"W
     
  5. FLATEY PIZZA – Very good pizza place – Grandagarður 11 – 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 588 2666 – http://flatey.pizza/ – GPS: 64°09'12.4"N 21°56'59.6"W
  1. SÆGREIFINN (Seabaron) – Lobster Soup and Grilled Whale  – Geirsgata 8 – 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 5531500 – www.saegreifinn.is – saegreifinn@saegreifinn.is – GPS: 64° 9.050’N, 21° 56.652’W
     
  2. BÆJARINS BEZTU (Hot Dog Place) Founded 1937 – Recommendation: „Eina med öllu“ (One with everything) –  Tryggvagata 1 – 101 Reykjavík – GPS: 64°08'56.4"N 21°56'14.9"W
     
  3. KAFFISMIÐJA ÍSLANDS – Coffee House with a small roasting facility - close to Hallgrimskirja – Kárastigur 1 – 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 5175535 – GPS: 64° 8.618’N, 21° 55.599’W
     
  4. STOFAN CAFÉ – Coffehouse design like an old living room – Vesturgata 3 – 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 546 1842 – GPS: 64°08'56.6"N 21°56'31.2"W
     
  5. KEX – Trendy youth hostel, very often live music in the evening, restaurant/bar  – Skúlagata 28 – 101 Reykjavík – Tel.: 5616060 – www.kexhostel.is – info@kexhostel.is – GPS: 64° 8.738’N, 21° 55.165’W
     
  6. BRAUÐ & CO (add-on) – Very trendy and good bakery  – Frakkastígur 16 – 101 Reykjavík –  www.braudogco.is
    – braudogco@braudogco.is – GPS: 64°08'38.9"N 21°55'33.7"W
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